1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoresist composition and a thin film patterning method using the same, and more particularly, to a photoresist composition capable of forming a pattern of high resolution without an additional heating process, a thin film patterning method using the same, and a liquid crystal display panel manufacturing method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent, various flat panel display devices that can overcome the shortcomings of a cathode ray tube, i.e., which can reduce the thickness and volume thereof, have been developed. The flat panel display device includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel, a field emission display, and an electro-luminescent display.
The flat panel display device is formed by a plurality of mask processes. One mask process includes a plurality of processes, such as a thin film deposition (or coating) process, a cleaning process, a photolithography process, an etching process, a photoresist stripping process, an inspection process, etc.
A photoresist used for the photolithography process employs a chemically amplified photoresist used in far ultraviolet rays to improve sensitivity and resolution so as to correspond to an LCD device having a trend toward large size, high resolution and high aperture ratio. Such a chemically amplified photoresist is formed as illustrated in FIG. 1 by depositing the chemically amplified photoresist on a substrate, soft-baking the chemically amplified photoresist, and removing a solvent contained in the chemically amplified photoresist. Thereafter, if the chemically amplified photoresist is exposed to light, an acid component is generated from a photo-acid generator contained in the chemically amplified photoresist. The generated acid component decomposes a protective group combined with a backbone of a polymer resin contained in the chemically amplified photoresist by a chain reaction, thereby changing solubility of the photoresist. The exposed photoresist is heated at a given temperature in order to activate and diffuse the acid component generated during the exposure process. The photoresist, after heating, is developed using a developer.
As mentioned above, since the typical chemically amplified photoresist needs an additional heating process in order to activate and diffuse the acid component generated during the exposure process, the process time is increased and equipment and facilities changes are necessary.